Old Exeter Inn in Teignbridge

I’ve loved this pub for a few years now, having only discovered it existed early in 2020, when it was being given a beautiful new lease of life. With already a ridiculously long history of keeping the locals fed and watered in Ashburton, the Old Exeter Inn continues to thrive. If woodburning stoves, candlelight and exceptional pub food are your thing, I would hightail it to this place as quick as you can. As we were heading into Autumn on the day I visited and the winds were picking up outside - no more beer garden adventures for a while - it dawned on me I was feeling the need to sit by a fire with a glass of wine and eat something comforting. And I knew the perfect place to eat. On this visit, I had the Florentine fish cakes, which also happen to be GF, and they were excellent. A great wine selection and those blowing gales tempted me to stay a little longer than I had planned. It’s that kind of place. I’m lucky enough to live less than 20 mins away so will return again and again. The staff are always helpful and friendly. I can’t recommend The Old Exeter Inn enough.

This is a beautiful old building which has been kept in its original form. We received a warm welcome at this free house with a selection of ales and a menu boasting amongst other things a range of traditional pies. Definitely worth a visit just for the history of the place but don’t leave without trying a pie. Delicious.

Possibly the oldest and certainly the darkest pub in England. Trod on someone's black labrador the first time I came in. If the permanently candlelit interior is not to your taste there is a cheerful beer garden round the back. Food is well prepared "pub grub" and portions are more than generous. Craft beers and lagers are complimented by two rotating guest cask ales. Friendly and helpful service from the staff makes this the ideal place to lose an afternoon with a few friends, particularly if you can nab the panelled side room.

One of the most historic pubs you'll ever visit but that's not all great selection of beer and gorgeous pies. Friendly, chatty staff too. Loved it

What an incredibly historic pub. A real piece of history well preserved. Thanks all!

A very olde worlde and quirky establishment, we enjoyed a great meal/experience with a group of six of us. The service was good as was the food. Would recommend if you want character surroundings and wholesome food.

If you’ve not been for a while, I urge you to revisit. After a few false starts over the last 4 years (usually always with excellent pie) the whole team are now firing on all cylinders. The menu is splendid and just what you expect from the Old Exeter - pie, pie, and more great pie (and you can even have a sausage with it). I had beef with red wine and horseradish pie. The shortcrust pastry was spot on, the mash superb, the gravy sumptuous. 10/10. My mum had the rabbit and bacon pie, and this was a different shaped pie and equally as good. The mash was some of the best I’ve ever had and I’ve eaten a lot of mash! We both followed it up with hot cherry pie and ice cream, which was sublime. Everything came out piping hot, and we were happy as could be. Great ales available, plenty of non-alcoholic options too, and the Picpoul went down a treat. Accompanied by my big shaggy Otterhound I ended up talking to everyone in the bar, proving that the ambience is a warm and friendly, relaxed one. Well done to the charming Cal, running the front of house beautifully. Can’t wait to come back with friends. It’s good to know that they’ve steadied the ship here now and you can dine with confidence.

Wet authentic old English atmosphere so you felt like you stepped back in time. The food was hearty enough for a King and the waiters were very helpful and accommodating.

Being out of our area for a hospital appointment in Ashburton, we decided to have lunch in the town. I'm so glad we looked no further than the Old Exeter Inn...what an amazing find! As well as a fascinating and long history, it's very cosy inside with the dark wood panelling and candles on each table and - on taking a quick peek at the end of our visit at the 'secret garden' - very inviting outside too. Received a nice welcome from Harvey on bar and food orders. We ended up having a really good chat with some other visitors and the food and drink were yummy.

This is a great pub, with a brilliant atmosphere with its history. Two cask beers on offer and a flat cider. No food when we were there on a Sunday afternoon, but the pie menu looked pretty good.

I know it's an old pub, we had a meal in a room lit by only two candles, we could barely read the menu!, apart from that ,great food and beer.

Lovely food service and great atmosphere

Stunning place to visit, eat & drink. Steeped in history, beautifully restored. Really amazing pies.

Lovely old pub ,but a bit pricey

Perfect atmosphere and amazing staff. Had the King Prawn salad and the Suet Pie. Followed by the brownie… Cannot recommend higher

Fantastic old English pub with lots of small rooms all candle lit and cosy Also has a small but nice beer garden at the back. Really friendly and helpful staff. We didn't eat but the menu looked a bit pricey.

Popped in for dinner this evening on the off chance they would have space. We were greeted by friendly staff who were really welcoming and accommodating. The place itself is amazing with cosy little rooms, no loud offensive music which most pubs seem to have these days. Not a massive gluten free option, however, the staff were so helpful and managed to accommodate me appropriately. The food was amazing. 100% will be back :)

The Old Exeter Inn is an unassuming, incredibly ancient building in the town of Ashburton on the edge of Dartmoor. The interior is very in keeping with the buildings age. (Est. 1130 a.d.) The food on the other hand is absolutely outstanding. There are numerous different pies on the menu (I had the steak and Stilton suet pudding with creamy mash and greens) plus other popular pub meals (all three other members of our party had the ham, egg and chips). The food arrived promptly and it was very hot, fresh and completely delicious. The staff were most attentive but not intrusive. There were offers of help getting Dad to the loo as he is in a wheelchair and help to get him back to our car. We would definitely recommend this pub as a place to have a really great meal. The prices were very reasonable considering the quality of the food and the service offered.

Fascinating historic place, looks great and Levi behind the bar is excellent

I just had a drink here, as the menu was out of our price range on this occasion. The bar is historic, but I felt disappointed as , although this was advertised online, the bar didn't have any local beer or cider on tap. The staff didnt seem bothered about this and I get the feeling the place could be run better.

Oozing with history and nostalgia, Levi the barman was first class.Paul from Durham

Awesome pub. Great food, hot and tasty. Beautifully presented. Great service, Carl and Levi make you feel very welcome. Fantastic history.

Just wow! The welcome was fantastic. We had our dog with us and she got some treats. We had lunch which was simple but done to a high standard….in fact it was delicious! My husband is a non drinker so a real bonus for him to have Lucky Saint on draught We shall be returning and it’s so nice to have a good experience somewhere, as usually we don’t get that elsewhere

One of us had a nice glass of house wine, also another had a great ipa wants to go back for another of those. Main meal for both were a couple of pies. Not sure I would have that again. Staff were friendly. A nice evening

What a pub! Delicious food, beer and candle lit atmosphere. Full of character. The staff were so attentive and friendly. Phoned us to let us know they'd had a busy day so not everything would be available on their menu - so thoughtful! Highly recommend

Came here today for Sunday lunch, we had a pork, beef and chicken roast dinner and it was so tasty, came with all the right sides for a roast! The pub had a nice old style feel to it and the service was welcoming and efficient. Would recommend

Visiting my home town from Australia. Love the look of the pub and the old English pub feel. Disappointed that they don't accept cash as it costs us more to use cards internationally.

Lovely pub in a lovely town. Great bar staff. Didn't try the food, but it looks like you could spend a few very enjoyable hours here with your friends. Recommended. We have just visited again 20/05/24 with family. Still an excellent pub. Lovely garden to sit in on a sunny afternoon.

Historical dog friendly pub in Ashburton specialising in pies, good selection of ciders.

We popped in and only had the soup as we're eating later. But the place is quirky, and the soup is thick, very homemade and tasty.

Though the inn was in a state of change and much of the menu was unavailable we had a pleasant visit. The gammon and chicken and leak pie were excellent as was the service. Wonderful walled garden top marks to the lady looking after it. We will be back.

Exceptionally good food. I had the steak and kidney pudding which has to be the best I've ever tried. My mates fish and chips looked incredible as well, as did my wife's chicken pie.

Really worth a visit. Historic and amazing home made pies

One of the oldest pubs in the world. Beautiful old pub, dog friendly and serving food.

Efficient service and lovely pub. Very nice hot chips and tasty beer. Thank you!

Lovely pub, horrific owner. Attempted to go for lunch today as the sign out front proudly states "dog friendly". Taken to our seats, everything looked good. That is however, until the same member of staff decided we weren't good enough for his establishment and coldly asked us to leave. Rude is an understatement for how we were dealt with. The front of house would do good to understand that being rude doth butter no parsnips!

Such a great inn excellent food and very cosy.

The oldest pub in Ashburton! Atmospheric, historical.. an experience!

Very old atmospheric pub loved it owner and bartender very friendly attentive. The whole place has charm Excellent lunch will come back with my family next time

Well it's a shame. Another establishment refusing to accept cash and insisting on card only. I don't use cards and had a pocketful of cash and could buy a few drinks. I try to support pubs with all that's going on, but I will not visit one that does not take cash. Fight the cashless society!!

We came on Mother’s Day 2024 and it was honestly the best roast we have ever had out. Better than Winslade Manor and other places in that league. I will now only be coming here for a Sunday roast out.

I didn't eat, but the pint of Otter Ale was excellent. Service was delightful and the pub is just beautiful.

Love coming back here when I'm in town! It's always my first stop. The food is delicious, the people are extremely welcoming and warm, and the scrumpy is my favorite!

Looks and feels like a genuine very old English Inn with fascinating back history. The barman man and locals were so amicable plus excellent real cask ales

Lovely old pub. Had lunch here. Delicious pies. Good atmosphere. Friendly staff.

This is a lovely historical pub with lots of character. Welcoming staff and great food. Would definitely recommend and hope to visit again. Reasonable price and great service. Can't fault the service and character of this beautiful pub.

A fascinating old world pub steeped in over 900 years of history. Service excellent and good food reasonably priced. A destination pub for visiting Devon

Lovely warm welcome when we arrived. Very friendly staff who looked after us very well. Good food with decent portions and would highly recommend. We will be back!

Warm welcome and extremely professional staff so we were very well looked after. The pub is stunning and decor in keeping with the age. The food was exceptional; best whitebait I've ever eaten. Thank you Kal, Levi and Yas!

I had the pie (chicken & leek) and mash (£12.95) and both were delicious but it would have been nice to have a few vegetables as well. I was rather shocked to discover that the 2 cups of tea I ordered - without checking the price - came to £9.90, which seems somewhat expensive for a teabag in hot water. The service was fine but I would have rather that it hadn't been accompanied by over-friendliness and bad jokes. The 2 young servers did a great job. Our table was quite small and very difficult to sit at side by side and it all felt very dark. With a few tweaks this could be a really lovely place.

Sublime food! Have eaten here twice in the past week and know the pub well having visited it many times over the past 6 years. But have recently noticed a significant overhaul of the menu and bar food options. Portions are exceedingly generous, value for money is good (certainly compared to London prices!) And, my husband tells me, an excellent selection of draught beers. We had the beef brisket sandwich and chicken liver pate starters last week and, this week, we ordered a sharing smoked chicken dish with herb mash , home-mad coleslaw and an added dish of scrumptious Mac cheese (divine!) I am not being paid to write this review, honest, but I can genuinely recommend this delightful cosy pub. The service is friendly and efficient and the atmosphere is very warm and welcoming. Plus, excellent value for money (we had to ask for a doggy bag as the portion was huge).

Great food (the pies are home cooking at its best), super efficient and friendly staff in a wonderfully atmospheric pub. Perfect

Had a wonderful evening! I go often just for an after work drink but went for a birthday on this occasion! Cal was an absolute joy of a server, he made sure we had the most enjoyable experience! Big shoutout to Cal! Food was fantastic, clean plants from everyone! It’s both a very relaxed pub but also somewhere you can definitely go for an occasion . Only pit is they don’t serve all pies in the evening but didn’t affect our evening! I couldn’t recommend enough !

Good beer, cosy log fire and tonnes of history on the walls

Amazing atmosphere and service.

Lovely little old pub with tonnes of character

So disappointing to visit the Exeter Inn on Christmas Eve as we have with many friends for many years. Closing at 8pm - clearly this establishment doesn’t give a damn about customers. Such a shame as this was a great pub prior to the current owner taking over. At least the Silent Whistle still respects it’s customers.

Popped in for a quick bite to eat whilst out Christmas shopping and very pleased we did - very cost with a good selection of beer, the Otter was excellent. Shared a ham sandwich which came with three roast potatoes and it was excellent. We'll definitley head back next time we're there.

Great little pub. Ancient, with beams, fireplaces, wood panelling

Absolutely perfect stop off . Mulled cider and steak and ale pie were the best . The staff were lovely and couldn’t do enough for you . Can’t wait to visit in the spring .

A hugely atmospheric old Inn. Lots of atmosphere, various beers and very pleasant staff.

We came in here whilst waiting for our campervan was being fixed and all the staff were great as well as the selection of drinks. Highly recommend anyone stopping here in search of a proper pub!

Signs outside, and around the town including an A board in the town square, suggest food ‘all day’. We entered at 14:30 and one of the three very young staff told us that they only had enough food for their bookings, although the place was relatively empty, with cutlery neatly arranged on several vacant tables. This was a shame because it looks like a nice cosy venue, and also because Ashburton has a burgeoning food scene e.g. Emilia etc (so don’t blame brexit or staffing or supply!) Around the corner Rafiki’s squeezed us in for brunch despite kitchen closing soon -great atmosphere there btw! Old Exeter - old habits.

Lovely pub with friendly locals and staff. The coffee machine wasn’t working so we decided to have a mid roast coffee as suggested by a member of staff. At £5.95 each it is the most expensive coffee I’ve ever ordered, but we expected something special. What we got was a small cafetière of extremely weak coffee, cold milk and a couple of biscuits. What a rip off. We will put that down to experience and keep to the great cafes in Ashburton

Fantastic pub, beautifully restored with well kept beer. A good selection of unusual other drinks as well. The chap behind the bar, Levi was very friendly and clearly a great asset to the pub. Well done with your restoration Dave!

A fantastic traditional beautifully restored pub. Well kept beer with an unusual selection of other types of drinks. Didn't eat as it was a quiet Tuesday night in November and food not being served but we will definitely be back to eat. The bar man, Levi was very friendly and gave us a good idea of the history in this pub. He was very efficient and a great asset to the pub.

Not eaten here, but serves a wide range of Ales and ciders, which are in casks on display behind the bar. Plus a good range of beers and larger. Really well done inside to bring together the dark and cosy atmosphere with older tables and chairs hidden in corners and alcoves. There are fires as well to keep warm. The food that is served looks good. Great look and vibe. Toilets are decent, it has also a great outdoor area, again like a hidden garden. Definitely worth visiting when in Ashburton.

I really lovely good pubs and this historic inn was perfect.. very well run and seems very popular.. we just had drinks on a Sunday but it was fully booked for lunch so next time!

Service was excellent. Very friendly and welcoming pub. Highly recommended. Will be in again to try the food.

What a gem. We both had game pie, it was good wholesome pub food served on a hot plate with delicious gravy. Warm and cosy atmosphere, log fire, great beer good service from friendly staff. Just what you want on a cold November evening.

Steeped in history, pleasant half hour. A bit pricey and quite dark, but added to an already great afternoon

We were a family of two adults & two kids freezing our butts off at Pennywell Farm which is based close to this fabulous pub, and we were in desperate need of some warmth, food and cheer. I called about 2 hours prior to sitting in the pub and asked if they had a table near a fire, as the rain was belting down. He made mention that most tables had been booked but would see if he could arrange a table near the fires. We turned up in a lovely village, parked a few steps from the pub (small car park close) and was pointed to a table right in front of a fire. Great start and Brian was super friendly which helped everyone relax. Ordering food & drinks was quick and the food once it arrived knocked everyone's socks off. The chef even dropped the cheese mac & garlic bread to table which was a nice touch and we sat happily eating for the next hour. The Steak pie is by far the best I've ever had and the kids both lucked out with their dishes including the sausage & bubble squeak which my little lady loved. Brian looked after us throughout our stay and chatted with us about other areas of Devon. Top marks and best pub I've visited in 2023, and I like a drink so please do take me up on this review and head down.

This is a lovely historical pub with lots of character. Welcoming staff and great food. Would definitely recommend and hope to visit again. Reasonable price and great service.

We called in here for a spot of lunch with our golden retriever , who was immediately rewarded with a biscuit if she could perform sit and paw. Gold star so far . What to say about this place. Brian , front of house is amazing . If you want a down to earth place, full of character and a real home from home with good food , then this is well worth a visit . We stayed for 2 hours taking to Brian and a really lovely local guy , don’t know his name , but he’s 80 and works 5 hours a day!!! Need to look up a card game called Euchre following his recommendation. I genuinely believe that how you initially treat people , is indicative of how they treat you . We both thoroughly enjoyed our visit and would definitely come again .

Lovely looking pub, but terrible! Arrived about 6pm ordered food and drinks. First odd thing, they don’t do tea or coffee?!? By gone 7 food had still not arrived! Eventually it did arrive and they forgot about two of dinners! In the end I had...

Arrived 17:50 , pub very quiet . 7 of us ordered drinks and food . 5 meals arrived after an hour . I had to ask the waitress 3 times for cutlery as meals on the table were getting cold she did eventually bring knives...

This is a lovely old pub, very cosy , The barman was very friendly, polite waitress , clean toilets. The food took over an hour when it came the macaroni cheese was not very tasty, watery in the bottom of a large bowl, scampi and...

We happened to book this restaurant on a Tuesday in late October. There are 2 car parks just behind the hotel so plenty of parking. The building is clearly very old although the assertion by the owner that the inn is one of the oldest in the world is not supported by Google. The menu was very varied and we ate a selection of dishes. One of our party was given a very sloshy Brixham Fish pie which was frankly inedible. The chef refused to give us a full refund on this and only offered a 10% discount on the total bill which frankly was not sufficient. Service was unbelievably slow given that we were pretty much the only guests eating in the restaurant. The plus points were that this was one of the few restaurants open on a Tuesday and our waitress was charming. Our waitress was

Lovely old pub. Delicious food and super friendly staff.

Early supper recently with a couple for friends - fabulous super fresh pies ( they had just come out of the oven ) with terrific mash or rosemary and garlic roasties. Great banter with Scouse Brian the barman who had some great stories. The pub...

Great historic building but do yourself a favour and just go for a drink and skip the food. Really ordinary burger with a 1/2 inch block of cheddar in it and frozen chips! Too much cheese, too expensive and for that price you could have...

After a day out walking in Dartmoor, our team of five ramblers, visited the Old Exeter Inn in Ashburton. What a lovely pub! 😊There was a good selection of drinks and Meg, who served us, was a wonderful host. Well worth a visit to this...

Worth a visit.Raleigh and Drake drank there .Opened in 1130, quaint,very expensive,and no smoking anywhere on the premises.Friendly staff .

Fantastic food, service, location and quirky environment!! 10 out of 10 (or 5)

Popped in for lunch. Fabulous Fish Platter and Wildsider Cider. Pub busy but excellent service by Levi. So much character and seating inside and out. Lovely atmosphere definitely worth a visit!

Lovely characterful old pub. Great food served without delay. Very quiet for a Friday night so there was no real atmosphere as such, but that suits us. The day we went the choice of ales was limited but wouldn't stop me going back again.

Beer from the keg, well looked after. Barman stressed with the queues for people ordering food and drinks, but we got served eventually. Food was pub grub with plenty of mash with my sausages but pricey for what it was. Fish and chips were average...

Very slow food service with long gaps between people on the same table getting their meals. The young lady on the bar was very attentive and helpful.

A most fantastic experience. We came in for a beer and were so impressed with Gaia and Liam behind the bar that we decided on a bite. Happened to meet Chef too. One talented gent. Cannot recommend enough!:)

Old fashioned pub, good atmosphere, food was a tad bit slow for a sandwich (wasn’t overly busy)

Such a friendly lovely atmosphere. The staff were friendly, super efficient and welcoming and the food was amazing. The inside is cosy and inviting, it was a lovey day so we ate outside which was a real treat, a beautiful spot has been created to...

Very poor. Food arrived way before drinks and without cutlery & had to ask for it. Made to wait long time for drinks without explanation. After 20 min was told boiler broken & 'will put kettle on now'. Could have been done much sooner. Tea arrived after nearly half an hour without milk & sugar. Had to ask for these again. Must do better & train staff accordingly in the basics. Update: After receiving a very rude response from the owner, as can be seen here and as many other customers have also received I would advise AVOID AVOID AVOID!!! Absolutely do not visit here. After a long period of failing they just will not improve. Owner should be ashamed & must remember the customer is king!

Nice cozy atmosphere, the food is delicious, cider was my tase, friendly staffs

We visited the old Exeter inn on the off chance for a quick lunch. The food was good but the service wasn’t as good as it could have been.

Disappointing given the history of the place. Service was very lacklustre and food overpriced. Could be a really nice pub with a proper landlord

In vacanza nella deliziosa Ashburton per alcuni giorni, abbiamo trovato per caso questo splendido pub. Ricco di storia, tenuto molto bene e dall'atmosfera affascinante. Il cibo è stato ottimo, uno spezzatino di manzo buonissimo e anche i dolci degni di nota. Servizio attento e molto gentile, in particolare il giovane cameriere che ci ha servito è stato molto attento riguardo alle esigenze alimentari del mio compagno (dieta senza latticini). Quindi un paio d'ore veramente piacevoli, consigliatissimo!

On holiday, and after a visit to Buckfast Abbey we decide to try the old Exeter Inn for something to eat. 6 adults and 4 dogs so we opted to sit outside. Service was friendly and swift with nothing too much trouble. Food was plentiful...

Delicious lunch, perfect for a grey day, hearty broccoli and stilton soup with cheddar and pickle sourdough bap. I could have stayed all day in this friendly, cosy, atmospheric pub. The staff were outstanding as well. Thank you.

The most amazing pies! Great flavour and great portion sizes. Great service. Fabulous beer. Park in the pay & display,enjoy the very short walk.

Came across the pub after visiting Buckfast Abbey, there were 6 of us with 4 dogs. We sat out the back, and the service was first class, as was the food. Would recommend this pub to anyone looking for food in the area.